Haven is a catalyst for individual empowerment and societal change: advocating for those impacted by domestic and sexual abuse or exploitation and working to end gender-based violence.

Main Office

Turlock Office

our founders

Stanislaus Women's Refuge Center Co-Founders

pat paulyvonne allen

Women's Resource Center of Stanislaus

irene chadwick

Stanislaus Rape Task Force

wanda hurley

Partnerships

Behavioral Health Services

Family Justice Center

CSU Stanislaus

"Everyone morning is a new beginning, a chance for you to rewrite the story of your life..."

how we started...

Haven has been serving adults and children affected by domestic and sexual violence for 40 years. Haven is a feminist-based agency that operated with the philosophy that gender-based societal barriers toward women still exist in the forms of violence and discrimination because of gender, race, age, culture, religious preference, sexual orientation or developmental or physical ability. Haven is dedicated to serving as an agent of societal change while supporting individual women to strive for equity and empowerment.

The Center was founded in 1977 as Haven/Stanislaus Women's Refuge Center providing domestic violence support services to battered women and their children in Stanislaus County. The following year, Haven was awarded one of six grants in the state of California to establish pilot shelter programs.

In January 1991, the Stanislaus Women's Refuge Center merged with the Women's Center of Stanislaus. The Women's Center of Stanislaus (originally the Women's Resource Center) was established in 1980 to address women's needs concerning life transitions, re-entry employment, education and poverty. The organizational name was then changed to Haven/Women's Center of Stanislaus.

The last phase of the evolution of Haven came in 1993 with the merger of Haven and the Stanislaus Rape Task Force. This merger established Haven as a comprehensive provider of vital community services and advocacy for victim/survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Hurt comes in many forms. If you or someone you know is being (or has been) hurt physically, emotionally,or sexually, there is support, safety, and healing available. Whether you are in a current abusive situation, have been out of it for years, have been sexually assaulted recently, or were sexually abused as a child - we can help.

Bad experiences are not always something you can just forget about. You probably have already tried to ignore it, numb it, cover it up, work through it, or go around it, only to find you keep running into the same wall! You may even find that you:

Have trouble sleeping.

Have major fluctuations in weight or eating habits.

Have difficulty concentrating at work or at school.

Feel increasingly isolated from people you care about.

Feel hopeless about the future.

Keep going over old events in your mind, despite your attempts to forget about it.

Have questions that you need answered.

Want to make changes, but don't know where to start.

You are not alone!

While there are not any easy answers, there are safe places to talk through your thoughts, feelings, and options. There is no judgment here, only a listening ear who will allow you to talk through different options. While friends or family members may force advice on you, we will empower you to go along your path, on your timetable. Here are some of the services you can explore on this site:

Support groups for domestic violence and sexual assault;

Legal advocacy including help with restraining orders and someone to go to court with you;

Individual Services; peer counseling, crisis intervention

Referrals to trusted professionals;

Confidential shelter services for women, men and children fleeing a violent situation for

Case management services to help you explore resources available to improve your safety and increase your options.